Monday, 12 July 2010

The two men, who were arrested on March 25 after a dispute, got five months prison without remission. Cameroon's homosexuality defense association said it was "saddened" and "stunned."

Emile and Fabien "were given a heavy sentence of five months in a prison farm!" Adefho, Cameroon's homosexuality defense association (L'Association de défense de l’homosexualité au Cameroun), stated that it was "saddened" and "stunned" by the judicial decision issued on Friday in Yaoundé, Cameroon's political capital. "Yet, there is no case and the charge is baseless," shared Sébastien Mandeng, Adelpho's vice-president, to TÊTU [a French magazine for gays and lesbians].

The two convicts, who were liable to up to five years in jail, had been arrested on March 25. According to Emile, Fabien asked him for money after they had sex. A dispute resulted, which attracted the attention of a police patrol.

Court seeks Australian's return

It should be noted that the case of the Australian and two Cameroonians on trial for homosexuality was postponed to August 2. This delay will permit the prosecution in Douala - the economic capital, where Jacques, Stéphane and John were arrested on March 26 - to study the documents provided by Alice Nkom, the lawyer for the accused, who is also Adefho's President.

While remitting the case to June 7, the judge also required the presence of the Australian, who had just been travelling in Cameroon and had returned home. The magistrate said that he had the means to bring him back. Are we headed for a tug-of-war between Yaoundé and Canberra?